BADGHES (SW) – Officials in Badghes province’s Jowand district have criticized the government’s lack of attention for the siege by the Taliban since past ten months.
Mohammad Hashim Usmani, district governor, informed Salam Watandar the locals cannot go out or come back to the district without paying extortion money to the Taliban. He said the Taliban’s shadow provincial governor is living in close proximity to the district.
The district governor said the security force in Jowand is simply not enough to counter the rebels.
Abdul Basit Sarim, member of the provincial council, has asserted that the government has taken no actions to clear the highway linking the district with rest of the country. He urged the government to swiftly re-open this key route.
Two residents of this district, Khuda Dad and Abdul Aziz, criticized the limited authority of provincial administration confined to the district center alone.
Commenting on this, Jamshed Shahabi, spokesman for the provincial governor, acknowledged the security concerns, but vowed to help re-open the route to Jowand district.
Located at a distance of some 165 km from the provincial capital, Qala-e-Nau, the Jowand district remains one of the most insecure parts of the country with persistent clashes between the Taliban and the security forces.
ENDS
